Collectors East: John Allen
Green Pebble August/September 2010 issue

John Allen, Mandell's Gallery

John Allen grew up surrounded by his family’s art collection. Today he runs his father’s art gallery in the heart of Norwich while, at home, his private collection continues to delight him. For more information about John and his gallery, visit Mandell's Gallery

Your father owned this gallery?
My father, Geoffrey Allen, in the 1950s was a ‘maniacal’ collector of Norwich School Paintings. I say ‘maniacal’ because for a period of, I suppose fifteen years, he was continually bringing paintings home. On occasions, as a small boy, I would be woken up and dragged downstairs to come and see the latest acquisition of something my father was particularly proud of. The frames would be stacked three deep against the wall sometimes.

These were Norwich School paintings such as John Sell Cotman and sons, and Thomas Lound. Back in the 1950s these paintings were more freely available. My father used to say that at one time every junk shop in Norwich would have a Thomas Lound, they were that accessible.

Did he foresee that Norwich School was going to become renowned, or did he just collect for the love of it?
He was just a collector; he had a natural eye for choosing a good painting.

He was a successful grain merchant over in Norwich. He would buy malting barley from the Norfolk and Suffolk farmers and sell them a picture at the same time!

How did your mother feel about all this collecting?
I think my mother was really bemused by it all really. She loved them and was somewhat instrumental in his collecting, but it was definitely his passion. My father met Michael Mackee who built - indeed owned - the building the gallery is in today. They got on well. Michael wanted to learn how to become an art dealer and together [my father and Michael] they converted these two rooms - which were garages - into a gallery space which soon took off in a big way.

There were other galleries around but not as many as we have here today. The gallery started in 1965 and it was a very traditional market. At that time it was very difficult for a contemporary or modern gallery to survive in Norwich, several had attempted but couldn’t. There were many antique shops and often you could just walk in and find a picture....

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(Please note this article appears in the August/September 2010 issue)

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Collectors East: John Allen Green Pebble August/September 2010 issue

Collectors East: John Allen
Green Pebble August/September 2010 issue